By Dr. Eng. Godfrey Kibuuka Director of Communications and Broadcasting Infrastructure

1. ICT EACO CONFERENCE ON BROADBAND ACCESS TO ALL IN EAST AFRICA 15TH -19TH APRIL 2013The role of policy makers in the national broadband agenda By Dr. Eng. Godfrey Kibuuka Director of Communications and Broadcasting Infrastructure Ministry of Information and Communications Technology, Uganda

2. Presentation outline • Coordination of all stakeholders • Protection of interests of all stakeholders • Creating an enabling environment • Ensure Adequate National Broadband Infrastructure & services • National mobilization and awareness • Challenges • Conclusion

3. Basic Data about The East African member Countries

4. Definition Broadband is a term used to describe a wide range of technologies that allow high speed data transmission or access to the internet and other electronic services. They should be affordable, reliable, seamless, ubiquitous.

5. Coordination of all stakeholders • Provision of leadership and vision under one political leadership Ministry of ICT • Clear separation of roles of Policy, regulation and service provision Ministry of ICT, UCC, NITA, Operators • Spearheading representation of stakeholders at international fora ITU, CTO, EACO, NEPAD • Liaison with stakeholders outside the ICT sector to create enabling environment for Broadband development Energy sector, Security sector, Educations, Health etc. roads etc.

6. Protection of interests of all stakeholders • Consideration of all marginalized groups in Policies, regulations and service delivery WOMEN, DISABLED, YOUTH • Settling of disputes in the sector COMMUNICATIONS TRIBUNAL • Ensuring equitable service delivery to all parts of the country regardless of business case • ADEQUATE COMPETETION • RURAL COMMUNICATIONS DEVELOPMENT FUND

7. Creation of Enabling Environment • Development of National ICT Policies and corresponding Subsector policies for Telecom, Information Technology, Postal, Broadcasting, Analogue to Digital Migration Policy etc. • Development of corresponding Strategies, Laws and Regulations. • Implementation, Monitoring and Reviewing Remove any barriers to achieving national broadband connectivity objectives & harmonise efforts in EAC region.

8. Ensure Adequate National Broadband Infrastructure Development of main backbone and last/first mile broadband access infrastructure via a number of strategies: • Promotion private investments; • Govt. strategic investment in national broad band backbones; • Govt. strategic interventions particularly in rural and underserved areas (Rural Communications Dev. Funds); • Promotion satellite services & Ratification of Amendment of ITSO Agreement; • Ensure adequate spectrum for mobile broadband services.

9. Ensure Adequate National Infrastructure Promotion private investments • Uganda has wireless broadband connectivity with state-of-art technologies such as; 2.5G,3G &4G. 2) Total of 3270 kilometres of optic fibre cables covering various parts of the country with two access routes to submarine cables.

10. Ensure Adequate National Broadband InfrastructureNational broadband & E-Govt. Infrastructure Figure showing the current rollout of the NBI (Phase I: Kampala, Entebbe, Bombo, Mukono and Jinja. Phase II: Luwero, Nakasongola, Masindi, Gulu, Elegu, Lira, Soroti, Kumi, Mbale, Malaba, Tororo, Busia, Mbarara, Kasese, Fort Portal and Kyenjojo

11. Promote Open Access Model • The fundamental point is that money should not be made out of the cable; • money should instead be made out of services (Business Process Outsourcing, e-commerce, etc) that would arise from the presence of the cable. • Open Access model, foresees a low-cost, high volume business model for the cable. (Walubengo 2007)

12. Ensure Adequate National Broadband Infrastructure Promotion satellite services and assurance of their non interrupted availability • Need to ratify the Amendment of the ITSO agreement that assures protection of Common Heritage assets of the Parties. • Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda & Burundi are Member countries and have ratified the Amendment.

13. Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) - service • IT-enabled Services and BPO identified as key priorities for job creation especially for the youth • BPO incubation centre established under the NITA-U

14. Implementing strategic interventions • Rural Communications Development Fund (RCDF) • Computer labs • Training centres • Telemedicine • District health data points • Agriculture content

15. Ensure Adequate National Broadband Infrastructure & Innovations MOBILE MONEY • By December 2011, the number of registered users had gone up to 2.8million from 1.8million in December 2010. • The number of transactions had reached 84.7million worth Shs.3.75trillion. Balances on customers’ mobile accounts totalled to Shs.43.8billion

16. Ensure Adequate National Broadband Infrastructure & Innovations NEW VALUE ADDED SERVICES • Payment of water, electricity and TV services using Mobile Money transfer platforms. • The challenge is to harmonise the policy and regulatory issues for mobile money platform under the financial sector regulatory framework.

17. Promote Sharing ICT Infrastructure • Shared access to broadband facilities, aimed at avoiding duplication of infrastructure and promoting timely access especially where the infrastructure may not be available. • Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania’s contribution to the East African Backhaul System (EABs) is complete and a good example and model of shared infrastructure.

18. National Mobilisation and Awareness Limited awareness and understanding of the values of broadband/ICT services in the country as a key barrier to adoption. • Introduce fiscal incentives and subsidies to end users (particularly institutions); • Bulk procurement of Internet bandwidth for Govt. Ministries & institutions of learning; • A deliberate Government policy incorporating ICT in school curricula at all levels of education; • Establish regional ICT model schools or colleges as a key strategy in this regard.

19. FUNDING MECHANISM • Govt. Treasury. • Development partners (China, USA, Europeans, Korea etc). • 2% Levy on GAR of operators. (USD8.0 M) • Tax on Mobile Money. (US$10 .0M) • Incoming International call traffic. (US$4.0M)

20. Challenges • Inadequate ICT complementary Infrastructure such as power • Vandalism and theft of ICT Infrastructure • Low affordability of ICT services • Limited local and relevant content • Low levels of ICT awareness

21. Conclusion ICTs are essential for the socio-economic development of East Africa and the rest of the world. To achieve this, we need to develop the necessary broadband infrastructure and services. Capacity building and awareness are also necessary for the citizens to fully utilize the broadband facilities.

22. I Thank you